Canadian Utilities: A Port in the Storm

Editor and Publisher, The Income Investor and the Internet Wealth Builder

Even banks in a relatively healthy Canada haven't fared so well, as the
global economic crisis has even hit these shores, but there is a sector where
dividends are as solid as Canadian Rockies ice, writes Gordon
Pape of The Canada Report.

We were sitting around the clubhouse after golf, drinking tea (it used to be
beer but everything changes as you get older). The topic of conversation was
Europe.

The election of a Socialist president in France and the collapse of the Greek
coalition had once again roiled world stock markets and everyone was worried. "I
don't have a clue where to put my money," one of my friends said, to nods of
agreement from the others.

At that point, everyone looked at me in anticipation. I took a sip of tea and
thought about it a moment. "Not necessarily," I said finally. "There are
dividend stocks and dividend stocks. Some are much more risky than others."

I went on to point out that during the crash of 2008-2009, even dividend
stocks that had been thought to be rock-solid were battered. Canadian banks,
none of which were ever in serious trouble, were classic examples.

Royal Bank (RY) lost over 60% of its market value, dropping from over $57
a share in October 2007 to $21.65 in mid-February 2009. Bank of
Montreal (BMO) fared even worse: In October 2007, it was trading at over
$66, but by February 2009 it was down to $19.91, a loss of more than two-thirds
of its value. It has never regained its 2007 high. And the banks were thought to
be safe!

Dividend stocks in cyclical industries fared even worse. Suncor
Energy (SU) plunged from over $71 a share in May 2008 to just over $16
in November, a loss of more than 75%. Teck Resources (TCK) almost dropped out of sight, falling from almost $52 a
share in May 2008 to $3.03 in March 2009-a staggering 94% loss. Yes, there are
dividend stocks and dividend stocks.

Not surprisingly, my friends looked somewhat crestfallen after I unloaded all
these numbers on them. "So what the heck are we supposed to do?" one of them
finally asked.

There are two parts to that answer. The first is to focus on dividend-paying
stocks in stable industries-those which are likely to weather any recession with
minimal structural damage. The second is to look for industry leaders with a
solid franchise, good cash flow, and a strong dividend history.

One sector that has strong defensive characteristics is utilities. These are
my top picks in that category.

Fortis (Toronto: FTS)This St. John's, Newfoundland-based utility has
electricity-generating operations in five Canadian provinces, as well as in New
York State and two Caribbean countries. It also is the major natural gas
distributor in British Columbia, having acquired Terasen Gas several years
ago.

The company has the longest-history of annual dividend increases of any
publicly traded firm in the country. The shares yield 3.5%.

Enbridge (ENB) Canada's largest pipeline company and the main
natural gas distributor in Ontario and Quebec. The stock held up well during the
crash of 2008-2009, and has since rebounded to new all-time highs. It yields
2.8%.

Canadian Utilities (Toronto: CU)An electricity and natural gas distributor operating in
Alberta, Canadian Utilities' stock set a new all-time high this month, breaking
through the $70 mark. It's the classic example of a "dull" company that keeps on
churning out profits for investors. The yield is 2.5%.

Another sector that is worth the attention of defensive-minded investors is
telecom stocks. My favorite Canadian picks here are the following.

BCE (BCE) This company's share price has more than doubled
since the collapse of the privatization bid in December 2008, and the company
continues to reward investors with dividend increases.

The financials are firing on all cylinders; the company recently reported net
profits of $574 million (74 cents per share), up 14.1% from $503 million (67
cents per share) last year. What's not to like? The shares yield 5.3%.

Telus (TU)The Vancouver-based telecom that became a national
player continues to post strong results. Telus recently reported a 4%
year-over-year increase in first-quarter revenue to $2.6 billion (figures in
Canadian dollars). The improvement was fueled by a 6% expansion in wireless and
a 2% increase in wireline revenue, mainly due to strong data growth.

Net income came in at $348 million ($1.07 per share), representing
year-over-year growth of approximately 6%. The stock yields 4.3%.